45 minutes with the CEO of Lenovo. The Chinese giant is obsessed with leading the AI ​​era

We are sitting in a press room full of journalists from all over the world, laptop in front of us and recorder on. REC. They settle on a stand Yuanqing Yang, CEO of Lenovo, and Tolga Kurtoglu, CTO of the company. We are aware that what they are doing, giving almost an hour of both of their time, is very expensive for the company and it is not every day that you have an opportunity like this.

Both are waiting for the questions that we are going to ask them as the culmination of Tech World 2024, an event that has demonstrated Lenovo’s muscle in the technology industry. The presence of leaders such as Pat Gelsinger of Intel with his bombshell announcement, Lisa Su of AMD and Jensen Huang of NVIDIA on the main stage, along with video messages from Mark Zuckerberg and Satya Nadella, has turned this meeting into a display of power. Even Infantino, president of FIFA, joined the party.

Yang begins by talking about his relationship with Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel. “We have known each other for years, and that trust is essential to build strategies and partnerships between companies,” he says.

This statement reveals the importance of personal relationships at the top of the technology sectoran aspect often underestimated in the analysis of corporate alliances. A while earlier we saw Yang hugging Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, remembering stories from many years ago. Chemistry usually brings something more.

The conversation quickly turns to hybrid AI, a concept that Lenovo is betting big on. Yang explains: “There are many challenges for our customers when deciding on hybrid AI, and that is where Lenovo brings value.”

This strategy of combining AI in the public cloud with on-premises business models is the key for Lenovo to differentiate itself in a market increasingly saturated with AI solutions. Or at least that’s where they think the puck is headed.

Kurtoglu delves into the technical aspects, highlighting the importance of customization and interface between solutions on-premise and in the cloud. His explanation emphasizes that Lenovo not only sells hardware, but comprehensive AI solutions. And that is where they are dedicating communication efforts: to get that message across.

Privacy and data security are recurring topics in journalists’ questions. Yang emphasizes its “responsible AI framework” and governance processes. It sounds credible that at Lenovo’s headquarters there is concern for this aspect: without user trust, there is no mass adoption of AI, and even less investment in it.

When asked about Lenovo’s differentiation in the AI ​​market, Yang surprises with a clear and structured answer: “We are the only company with a clear definition of PC AI, with five key characteristics.” It’s a singular statement for the PC industry, which is desperately seeking new vectors for growth and believes it has found it in AI.

Yang’s vision of “one personal AI, multiple devices, multiple applications” sounds ambitious but feasible. If Lenovo manages to execute this strategy, it is guaranteed success in this field, but it will not ride alone.

The discussion about proactive vs reactive AI reveals the depth of Lenovo’s vision. Kurtoglu talks about “intent understanding engines” and “execution and strategy engines”, concepts that sound distant but that Lenovo is already developing in its laboratories.

When my turn comes, I ask about which innovation showcased today will have the greatest impact on our daily interaction with technology. After all, Lenovo has shown several proofs of concept underlining that its commercial arrival is not certain, at least in that format, including the AI ​​Buddy and other concepts.

Yang responds by moving away from futuristic concepts and going back to the basic tool, the ulterior reason why they are here: computers. “Our PCs will impact the way we all use computers to improve productivity. The display will have a significant impact on how we use digital tools in the future.” And he adds that the advantages brought by AI will boost the benefits of the PC for customers and companies.

When the 45 minutes of questions end, an obvious point remains: Lenovo is not willing to provide infrastructure so that only third-party services run on it, but rather They want a leading role also in what appears on the screen. Hardware, but also complex business solutions.

The great challenge for Lenovo is to execute that strategy in a market in which Apple, Google or Microsoft compete fiercely. Its ability to innovate in hardware, its experience in business solutions and its focus on hybrid AI will be its weapons for a battle that has just begun.

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Featured image | Lenovo